The ability to start and maintain a fire, especially in the outdoors and under adverse conditions, is often essential to survival. Indeed, the most common cause of death in the wild is hypothermia. Even in hot desert environments, temperatures at night can become frigid and have been known to cause hypothermia and claim lives. Heat generated by a fire can be used to regulate the body's core temperature. In addition to its ability to provide lifesaving thermoregulation in animals and humans, a fire can be used for the following purposes among others: preparing and cooking food, generating smoke for drying and preserving food, sterilizing various materials, disinfecting water, making pottery and implements, providing light, providing protection from insects and predators, and signaling for help.
Typically, a fire is started by placing dry kindling wood or other easily ignitable objects below a stack of wood or another fire sustaining fuel source. However, such easily ignitable objects may be inadequate to ignite wood or other fire sustaining fuel sources. Also, easily ignitable objects may be scarce or incapable of providing sufficient heat or flame to ignite certain fire sustaining fuel sources.
Unfortunately, most people have a tendency to overestimate their ability to create and maintain a fire, especially under adverse conditions such as rain, snow, cold, wind, high altitude, and darkness. Emotional stress and physical injury can also limit a person's ability to create a fire and sustain its existence until help arrives. Even under the best of circumstances, people often do not have the requisite knowledge, skill or ability to create a safe and reliable fire.
Alternative methods and devices for starting fires have been disclosed as means to minimize the effects of adverse environmental conditions, remove the requirement for easily ignitable objects, and simplify fire starting for individuals with little or no experience and basic survival skills. Most alternative methods and devices exploit liquid fuel or solid fuel fire starters. Others provide a small amount of easily ignitable objects that are stored in a weatherproof container until needed. Alternative methods and devices are typically available with instructions for their use in various scenarios.
There remains an unfulfilled need for simple, weather resistant, reusable, adjustable, lightweight, compact, portable, and safe methods and devices for creating sustainable fires in various environments under normal and adverse conditions.